Trolley-wire splicer



N. K. BOWMAN; TROLLEY WIRE SPLICER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1920.

1 40 3 8 37 Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

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PATENT OFFICE.

NEWTON K. BOWMAN, OF CANTON, OHIO.

TROLLEY-WIRE SPLICER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

Application filed February 3, 1920. Serial No. 356,070.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Nnwron K. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolleyire Splicers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire splicers and more particularly to splicers for trolley wires, the primary object of my invention being the provision of a splice which may be readily and quickly applied to form a connection for the trolley wires so perfect as to prevent arcing.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a splice of the abovev described character which is adjustable and which may at any time be released and again tightened to take up any slack in the wires which it connects.

More specifically, my invention includes a splicing sleeve or body open along one side and adapted to receive the ends of the wires to be connected, and wire engaging dogs pivoted between the sides of the sleeve and movable into and out of clamping engagement with the ends of the wires.

In this connection, a still further object of my invention consists in the provision of a novel form of clamping dog madein sections and arranged to spring apart somewhat when forced into engagementwith the wire to more firmly embrace the wire and also to exert a binding action upon the rivet or pivot bolt upon which they are mounted and thereby prevent lateral movement.

A still further object of my invention is to construct a dog of the above described character having wire engaging teeth so formed as to engage the wire without injuring it.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trolley 'wire splice constructed in accordance with my invention,

. Figure 2 is a similar view, showing a splice of the same general character formed with an insulated center,

F1gure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional vlew through the splice shown in Figure 1, Figure 4: is a. vertical sectional view through one of the clamping dogs employed, Figure 5 1s a side elevation of the term of clamping dog employed,

. Figure 6 1s a bottom plan view of the clamping dog, and

Figures 7 and 8 are views corresponding to Figures 5 and 6 illustrating a modified form of clamping dog construction.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to. in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

One form of my invention, as best illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4: of the drawings, includes a splice sleeve 10 open along its top, being substantially U-shaped in sect-ion and formed of any suitable metal. This sleeve is adapted to receive the ends 11 and 12 of the wlres to be spliced and its bottom wall tapers in thickness adjacent its ends. being reduced externally in order to provide, in connect-ion with the wires, as smooth and continuous a bearing surface for the trollev as possible. This sleeve adjacent the ends is provided with upwardly directed cars 13 to receive pivot bolts 14, rivets or other suitable supporting means for clamping dogs 15. Each of these clamping dogs is made up of three sections 16, 17 and 18. These sections are in the form of plates of suitable metal, such as steel and include a cam shaped head 19 formed at an eccentric point with a pivot receiving opening 20 and at one side with a handle formingshank 21. The free ends of the shanks of all three sections of the dos: are secured by a rivet 22 or other suitable fastening device and of course the cam heads of the sections are arranged to operate in unison as they are mounted upon a common pivot. The peripheral edges oi the cam heads of the sections are provided with V- shaped wire engaging teeth 2-3, the teeth of the various heads being in alignment with each other when the dog is assembled, as best shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. It should be noted, however, that the cam head of the intermediate section 18 is smaller or less oflt'set than the cam heads of the outer sections in order that the three sections together may firmly engage the end of 'the wire which they clamp. This is a feature of great importance, particularly when a wire of the type illustrated is employed having a longitudinal bead 24 along its upper face as the side sections may engage the sides of this bead and the intermediate section the upper face of the bead. Furthermore, because of this particular proportioning of the dog sections, the sections, when swung into clamping engagement with a wire, are some what separated or spread apart which in effect tilts them with respect to the axis of the pivot so that they are bound to the pivot and the'dog is therefore held against side movement.

The manner of applying and employing the splice is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings and no detailed description is necessary. The ends of the wires to be joined are inserted in the ends of the splicing sleeve while the dogs are in raised or inactive position. their shanks extending upwardly and the wires are drawn to proper tension. The clamping dogs are then swung downwardly to engage the ends of the wires in the manner shown; Obviously, any strain upon the wlres tending to draw them from the splice sleeve will only serve to swing the clamping dogs into firmer engagement with the wires to hold them more tightly. If the wires become slack, one or both of the dogs may be loosened, the wires drawn tighter and the dog or dogs again thrown to active position to take up the slack. It is therefore possible with my improved splice to tighten the trolley wires without having to cut them as is commonly necessary with splices now in use. In this connection, particular attention is directed to the fact that the end portions of the sleeve 10 are dished or bowed longitudinally to provide depressions 25 in the bottom wall of the sleeve beneath the dogs 15, the bottom wall of the sleeve first sl0ping downwardly from its intermediate portion and then again upwardly, at an angle, to the sleeve tips which lie in a plane, with the intermediate portion of the bottom wall.

Therefore, when the dogs are swung to active position, the end portions of the trolley wires will beflexed into the depressions of the sleeve and consequently stressed against the tips of the sleeve to thus not only provide a more secure connection between the splice and trolley wires but also to provide a closeicontact between the wires and the sleeve tips. The tendency toward gaping between the wires and tips of the sleeve which would otherwise be present, is thus overcome and, of course. the corrosion which would take place at such gaps is also eliminated.

' In Figure 2 of the drawings I'have illustrated a somewhat modified form of construction in which the splice sleeve 25 'is formed in two sections 26 and 27 connected by a block of insulating material 28. The

vided with wire engaging teeth.

sections 26 and 27 at their adjacent ends are formed with upwardly directed ears 29 to receive the ends of the block 28 and the block is secured between these ears by any suitable fastening devices, such as rivets 30. Aside from this difi'erence, the splice shown in Figure 2 is the same as that previously described. This modification is for use in connection with a cut out switch or automatic section insulator, as will be readily understood. 7

In Figures 7 and 8 I have illustrated a modified'form of clamping dog for use with either form of splice above described. This dog 31 is formed in two sections 32 and 33 having cam heads 34 formed with eccentrically disposed openings 35 to receive the pivot bolts 1& and with shanks 36 which may .be secured by a rivet 37 or may be welded as shown at 38 or both. These sections have their peripheral cam faces pro vided with V-shaped teeth 39 in alignment with each other and corresponding to the teeth 23 iof the dogs previously described. 7 The inner faces of the sections 32 and 33 90 are, however, beveled in such a manner that the cam face is provided with a peripherally extending V'-s haped notch O to partially embrace the wire with which it comes in engagement. These sections will, of course, spread somewhat when forced into engagement with the wire in the same manner as the sections of the other form of dog and will, therefore, bind upon their pivot bolt and be held against lateral movement. It will, of course, be understood that I reserve the right to use either form of dog preferred and to employ it in connection with either form of splice described. In other words, I reserve the right to make any 1 changes in details of construction and as sembly of parts which I. may desire, within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A trolley wire splice including a splicing sleeve having its ends adapted to receive the ends of trolley wires, and'clamping dogs pivotally secured to the sleeve tobe swung into and out of engagement with such wires, 1 said clamping dogs including sections connected to swing together but capable of spreading with respect to each other when brought into engagement with a wire.

2. A trolley wire splice including a splic- 12 ing sleeve having its ends adapted to receive the ends of trolley wires, and clamping dogs pivotally secured to the sleeve to be swung into and out of engagement with such wires, said clamping dogs including sections c0n- 125 nected to swing together but capable of spreading with respect to each other when brought into engagement with a wire, the sections being formed with cam faces'pro- 8. A trolley wire splice including a splicing sleeve having its ends adapted to receive the ends of a wire to be spliced, the sleeve being formed adjacent the ends with upstanding ears, and wire engaging clamping dogs pivoted between the ears and each including a plurality of sections correspondingly shaped and normally engaging one against the other, being pivoted adjacent corresponding ends thereof and connected adjacent their opposite corresponding ends but capable of spreading laterally the pivoted ends of the sections having arcuate cam faces formed with teeth, the teeth of the sections aligning with each other, and an intermediate section having a less extensive cam portion, whereby its teeth are spaced from those of the other sections.

4. In a wire splice, the combination with a splicing sleeve, of dogs pivoted between the sides of the sleeve adjacent the ends thereof, each dog including outer sections and an intermediate section all similarly mounted upon a common pivot and all connected at their free ends, the sections being formed with arcuate cam faces eccentric to the pivot points of the sections, the intermediate section having a cam face of less eccentricity than the outer sections and the sections being slightly movable away from each other when brought into engagement with a wire.

5. A trolley wire splice including a splicingsleeve having its ends adapted to receive the ends of a wire to be spliced, and clamping dogs pivoted upon the sleeve to engage such ends of wire, each clamping dog including cam members mounted upon a common pivot and capable of spreading laterally, one of the members having a less extensive portion than those between which it is disposed.

6. A wire clamp including a sleeve and a clamping dog pivoted upon the sleeve and including a plurality of cam sections correspondingly shaped and mounted upon a common pivot, the sections being capable of spreading laterally and one of the sections having a less extensive portion than those between which it lies.

7. A wire clamp including a sleeve and a clamping dog pivoted upon the sleeve and including a plurality of cam sections correspondingly shaped and mounted upon a common pivot, the sections being capable of spreading laterally and one of the sections having a less extensive portion than those between which it lies, and means connecting all of the sections whereby they will swing simultaneously.

8. In a trolley wire splice, the combination of a sleeve provided with a bottom wall and having'its end portions bowed longitudinally to provide depressions in said wall, and clamping dogs mounted upon the sleeve over said depressions and movable to depress wires extending into the ends of said sleeves into said depressions whereby the wires will be caused to bind against the bottom wall of the sleeve at the ends of the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

NEWTON K. BOWMAN. [L. s.] 

